Against All Odds
by Rogue.M.Darkholme
Summary: A year has passed since Magneto and his Brotherhood revolted against the cure. Jean, Scott, and the Professor are dead, as is the relationship between Bobby and Rogue. What will happen when a familiar Cajun is introduced? M for later chapters, Romy Action
1. Prelude 1221

All respects to Fox and Marvel for X-Men.  
The story takes place a year after X-3.

Against All Odds

Chapter 1: Prelude 12/21

The sun was just barely peeking over the ocean, casting bright light over the eastern side of the Charles Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. It was early November, hinting ever so slightly that winter was already beginning to take place of the crisp autumn air. As the early morning sun rose, a select few members of the X-Men rose with it. Logan was already heading to the Danger Room for one of his early morning solo sessions, Ororo was putting together a plan for the day, Bobby was dragging himself to shower and prepare for another horrifying Danger Room session with Logan later on in the morning, and Kitty was already in the kitchen starting coffee for the adults who needed it and breakfast for the students that wanted it. Meanwhile, on the western side of the mansion, a familiar young woman stirred. Only the glow from the trees further on the property illuminated her deep green curtains. A few rays of light peaked in, reflecting off one of the many motion detectors in the trees. The light gently landed upon strands of white contrasting greatly with the wavy auburn locks they rested upon. A pair of pale green eyes fluttered open briefly before closing up tightly.

_Too early…way too early…_

Rogue's thoughts were exactly right. The time was only 6:53 a.m., meaning she didn't have to be up for at least another hour, which meant another hour of sweet dreams and fantasies of finding someone she could actually be with without hurting them, but she could only lie there curled up in her emerald green sheets holding her black comforter close, recalling the events of the past year. Scott had disappeared, Jean had returned and gone crazy, killing the Professor in the process, Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants revolted in response to the cure, and Rogue herself had taken it in hopes of rekindling the dying relationship between her and Bobby, but to no avail. Bobby had finally lost interest in Rogue and turned to Kitty, tearing both the girls. Rogue had done something drastic specifically for him and Kitty wasn't comfortable with going behind her friend's back and dating Bobby, not only that, Kitty actually preferred the company of Piotr Rasputin, commonly known as Colossus.

To Rogue's surprise, the cure didn't seem to last more than three months before her power returned, though she didn't seem to notice until a Danger Room session with Logan when she went to grab him and pull him away from a Sentinel's range of fire. He wasn't angry with her, but about as surprised as she was when he felt the familiar pull of his regenerative powers and memory of slaying Jean flowing quickly into her mind.

With a sigh and a wave of her hand, Rogue pushed away all the memories and sat up, her auburn hair now falling in a beautiful cascade of messy curls flowing gently down her back and over her shoulders. Only a few minutes had passed since she'd last looked at her clock. A desperate groan escaped her lips and she threw her sheets off her warm body, the sudden rush of cool air creating a wave of goose bumps on her bare legs. Rogue swung her legs over the side of her bed and sat with her feet resting silently upon the area rug that covered the hard wood beneath her bed. Dropping her head and letting out a small exasperated sigh, she stood, speaking with her heavy southern drawl.

"This is gonna be a long day…"

* * *

The sun, as it was shining out over the water, sent rays across the yard, a few of which landed upon the chiseled features of a man well into his 20's and reflected brightly on his dark sunglasses. He scoped out the yard of the institute, spotting each of the motion detectors as they glittered in the sun. With a smirk, he leaped stealthily onto the grass, his long trench coat flapping behind him and hitting him softly in the calves. He avoided the motion sensors with great skill, but what he didn't account for was the cool breeze flowing off the water and gracefully floating across the grass. As the cool air danced around him, his hair blew around his face and his coat rustled behind him. As he avoided one motion sensor, his trench coat managed to trip another. Camouflaged machines quickly sprang from their hiding places, a few charging while others immediately began firing. Cursing silently to himself, the man began dodging paralysis lasers and flying disks, moving sluggishly toward the mansion before him.

* * *

While Ororo finished up setting a schedule for the day, an alarm began to buzz letting her, amongst others, know that a motion detector outside had registered something solid in the yard. Dropping what she was doing, Ororo rushed out of her office and down the steps calling to Bobby and Kitty, both running to her aide along with Logan who flew up to the main floor from the Danger Room below. All four of them rushing through the French doors ready to fight. Of course, Logan was the first one heading toward the intruder. Ororo stopped at the sight of a tall man in a long trench coat almost dancing around the lasers, breaking the disks with a long bo-staff, and throwing random glowing objects at the machines, blowing them up one by one. Immediately her arms went out to hold Bobby and Kitty back, both shooting her confused expressions.

"Storm, what's up?" Bobby asked her, his arms returning to normal as his ice faded. Ororo didn't answer.

"Logan! Stop!" She called out to her teammate as he closed in on the intruder. He froze at her words, standing only about 10 feet away from the man in the trench coat, who turned quickly and smiled at Ororo.

"Hey, cheré! Ya wan' help ol' Gambit out?" His words were stained as he jumped away from another laser aimed for his leg. Quickly, Ororo ran to one of the small machines and punched in a code, lowering all the functional machines back into their hiding places. She ran to the man as he retracted his long bo staff into a small tube, tucked it away into his coat, and bent over, his hand resting upon his knees.

"Gambit! Are you alright?" Ororo asked him, concern in her voice. "What on earth are you doing here?!" The man she called Gambit looked up at her from his bent position and grinned slightly.

"Gambit's okay, Stormy. I need a place to crash." He informed her. "Mon père isn't too happy wit' me an' don't really wan' me around." He stood up and shrugged, then stretched. "So, Stormy, who're yo' friends?" Gambit faced Kitty and smirked, an eyebrow peeking over his sunglasses. Kitty blushed under his gaze, Bobby quickly stepped before her and extended a hand with an intense stare.

"Bobby Drake." As Gambit took his hand, Bobby laid a thin layer of ice over Gambit's gloved palm, crawling slowly over the three bare fingers and the fabric of the glove that covered his middle and right fingers. This action caused Gambit to smirk a little wider and react with his own power to manipulate kinetic energy, quickly melting the ice from his had and warming Bobby's hand to the point where if Bobby hadn't let go, it wouldn't have just startled the young man, but seared his flesh. Gambit let a low chuckle reverberate in his chest before stepping toward Kitty and taking up her hand in his.

"De name's Gambit." He kissed the top of her hand softly, her previous blush deepening.

"Kitty…Kitty Pryde." Her name nearly caught in her throat. Gambit enjoyed watching young ladies squirm in his presence. Ororo stepped in to speak for Logan who still stood observing Gambit, his claws still fully extended and gleaming in the morning sun.

"Gambit, this is-

"Logan. I know who he is. We met befo'." Gambit gave a curt nod to the small bulky man who huffed and retracted his claws.

"Damn Cajun." Was all Logan said. It was obvious there was tension between the two men. Gambit chuckled again as Logan turned and began heading back toward the mansion. Ororo motioned for Gambit to follow along as she, Kitty, and Bobby trailed after Logan. He nodded and followed her as she walked.

Logan, as he passed a few of the rehidden sensors, shook his head. Looking up, he saw Rogue standing upon the steps, now changed from her night clothes into a half sleeve purple shirt and dark jeans, her long black gloves in hand.

"What happened?" She asked him as he approached her. He shook his head and patter her arm as he passed.

"False alarm," was all he said. Rogue gained a confused look at his words. She and Kitty exchanged a quiet "good morning" while Bobby avoided her gaze all together. Remaining quiet, Rogue watched Ororo approach with a man she'd never seen before. Ororo stopped just before her and nodded.

"Rogue, I would like to you meet a friend of mine." Ororo spoke softly as Gambit stepped forward and reached for her hand. Rogue immediately pulled her hand from his reach and slipped on her gloves.

"S'nothin' personal." Her drawl was enhanced as she spoke, a faint blush appearing as her gaze hardened. Gambit straightened and cocked his head to the side. Rogue only shook her head and held out her now gloved hand. "Name's Rogue."

"Gambit." He took her hand and kissed the top of it just like he had Kitty's, only with Rogue he lingered, finding himself curious as to why she wore her gloves. "From de south?" He questioned her. Rogue raised an eyebrow and nodded slightly.

"Miss'sippi. Judgin' by your accent, ah'd say you're from the bayou?" Gambit gave a nod of his own and gave a smirk. Ororo's gaze switched between the two as they spoke, then rested her eyes upon her Cajun friend.

"My office when you're done?" Her words were gentle. Gambit muttered something along the lines of "sure" and watched her leave. Gambit and Rogue stood in silence on the front steps for a moment or so before Rogue motioned toward the stairs leading up to Ororo's office.

"C'mon, ah'll take you up to see Storm." Rogue's tone was calm and soft as she took a few steps inside the mansion, resting her hand on the inside door handle of one of the French doors. Gambit followed suit and stepped in with her, taking the other door's handle and meeting Rogue in the center as they pressed the doors closed.

"What's wit' de gloves?" Gambit asked her as they began their trek up the stairs.

"What's with the sunglasses?" Rogue retorted in a flat tone causing Gambit to chuckle.

As they reached the top of the staircase, they stopped at Ororo's office door and Gambit turned to his guide, a grin painted upon his lips.

"You ain't de only one wit' secrets, cheré." Gambit spoke softly as he lowered his sunglasses and make eye contact with Rogue, his red irises gleaming brightly in contrast to his black sclera. Rogue's eyes widened and her mind filled with questions as Gambit searched her pale green eyes, then examined the white in her hair, sparking questions of his own. "You'll explain ev'ry t'ing t'me eventually." With that, he raised his sunglasses again and opened Ororo's office door and stepped inside, leaving Rogue standing there bewildered.

After standing in the empty hall in silence for a moment or so, a small smile crossed Rogue's lips and with a shake of her head, she turned and headed off to prepare for her day.

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, so this is basically my trial chapter, just to see what you all think.

I'm open to constructive criticism. I know it's a little slow at first, but I promise that it gets better.


	2. Her Eyes

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 2: Her Eyes**

* * *

"Her eyes,  
That's where hope lies,  
That's where blue skies meet the sunrise.  
Her eyes,  
That's where I go When I go home..."

* * *

"Gambit, are you listening to a word I am saying?" Ororo's voice was stern and slightly frustrated. Gambit, as usual, was not paying attention.

"Yes, Chere, you know Gambit always listens." His words had genuine and accompanied by his signature smirk. Ororo sighed.

"The children have class up until around 3. There's plenty to keep you occupied in the mean time. We have the Danger Room," his attention was there now, "the garage where you can work on vehicles if you so choose, though that's normally Logan's space when he is not teaching, the courtyard is good for running, and there's a pool out back to cool down and relax after working in the yard. Do you have all of that?"

Gambit waved his hand.

"O'course. I do have a question though. What's de 'Danger Room'?"

"The children and the team train in there for real life situations."

"Dat's it?"

"That's it."

"Well 'den, can Gambit leave now?" He sat there grinning innocently at Ororo who just sighed and waved a hand of approval while rubbing the inside corners of her eyes with her index finger and thumb. "Merci, Stormy."

With a gentle bow, he turned and began to make his way out, but was called back abruptly.

"I almost forgot. Your room will be on the second floor, fifth door on the left side."

"Balcony?" His expression was filled with hope.

"Yes, a balcony." Ororo laughed at his child like giddiness as he bounded from her office. "Same old Gambit."

Gambit's gaze, while his hands played idly with a deck of cards, went wild with all the paintings and table ornamentation that filled the hall way to his room.  
There had to be ten doors on either wall, all tall and fairly ornate. With each step he came closer to his room and, unknowingly to him, closer to the girl from that morning. He was two doors down from his own when she flung her door open and almost fell out onto him while struggling to get a boot on. Luckily though he managed to catch her, throwing his arms beneath her underarms in an attempt to keep her behind from making contact with the carpeted floor beneath them.

"Oh! Ah'm so sorry! Ah- oh, it's you." She began her apology, but stopped when she saw it was him. "Thanks." She struggled to finish zipping up her boot then stood and closed her door behind her.

"What be de rush, Chere?" He flashed a charming smile and placed his hand above her head, leaning down close to her. Rogue raised an eyebrow and secured her gloves.

"Danger Room with Logan. Sorry, Ah'm late so no time to chat." She shrugged as she freed herself of him and began to sprint down the hall.

"'Den you can jus' show ol' Gambit around later!" He called after her.

"Sure thing. You know where Ah'm at!" She laughed lightly and waved as she turned the corner. Gambit couldn't help but notice the knee high boots she had struggled to put on.

_Nah, what kind o' trainin' calls fo' 'dose kinda boots...?_

He shook it off and entered his room. The walls were utterly bare, there was what seemed to be a king sized bed in the center of the wall just to his right, and a dresser on the left hand side of the room just after the door leading to his own personal bathroom.

"Oooh Gambit t'ink he gon' like dis." He closed the door to his room and headed toward the bathroom with a new perk in his step. It was obvious he hadn't bathed right in quite a while. His hair was matted with clumps of dirt and he had mud covering the majority of the lower portion of his coat. He'd need to wash his clothes too, but that could wait. Before he reached the bathroom he inspected the contents of the dresser. There was nothing there to his dismay.

_Oh well, Gambit'll jus' have to walk around the mansion in 'de nude!_

He smirked at the thought and headed straight for the shower.

It was about 11:00 a.m. when Gambit heard footsteps in the hallway pass outside his room. Immediately, due to his nature, he hopped up from his chair, dropping the deck of cards he had been fiddling with, and was peering out the door in seconds.

_I t'ought she was training..._

It was Rogue. She stopped just outside her room, placed her forehead to the door, and put her hand on the knob. It was obvious that she'd tired herself out, or rather,  
Logan had tired her out. What Gambit didn't know was that Logan was very hard on Rogue. He cared about the young girl and didn't want anything to happen to her, so he pushed her to learn how to protect herself, without power usage, when he couldn't. Gambit lingered in his door way watching her silently. It was a few minutes before she removed her head from her door and stumbled inside her room, almost slamming the door behind her. This girl intrigued Gambit. It seemed like she had secrets,  
just as he did. He popped his head out of his room and looked about the hall before stepping out, clad only in a pair of sweatpants that Ororo had given him while his other clothes were in the wash. He walked the distance to her room and tapped the door softly.

"Chere, you alright in 'dere?" He got a grunt in response. "Chere?"

"Ah'm fine...just worn out." Her voice was muffled by the door between them.

"D'ya need ol' Gambit t'come in 'dere and help ya out?" That smirk of his returned with his words.

"No thank you." Her voice showed great disinterest in his offer.

"Nah, Chere, if you lyin' t'me, Gambit gon' come in 'dere and get ya."

"Ah'm fine, swamp rat! Leave me alone!" Her sudden spice caused the appearance of a very flirtatious and devilish grin on the Cajun. He withdrew his hand from her knob and stepped back with a shrug.

"A'ight, Chere. If y'need me, y'know where I be." With that, he turned on his heel and retreated to his room.

The afternoon passed by fairly quick. Gambit occupied his time on his balcony watching the children in the yard as Bobby attempted to keep them in check and on task.  
The whole scene was fun to watch, or at least it was to Gambit. The kids ignored Bobby almost all together and this angered the young man, but he knew that he couldn't use his own powers to force them to stop. The whole thing made the Cajun laugh.

Dinner was fast approaching and, due to the fact that Gambit had decided to join the residents of the mansion, Ororo was forcing him to make an appearance. He stepped into the crowded dining room and looked around. There was an open space next to Ororo with another space open directly across from that one. He began toward Ororo and sat at the set place.

"Thank you for joining me, Gambit," Ororo said as she leaned over to him. The loud children in the room made it so that was the only way to speak.

"For you, Chere, anything." He bowed his head and she patted his knee under the table with a caring smile.

"Go ahead and take your pick of foods, there's plenty to go around," she informed him. Sure there was plenty of food, but it was going fast. Growing mutants need their strength just as much as regular growing children do, if not more so. Gambit reached across the table and took a few things; some mashed potatoes and gravy, corn,  
a couple of biscuits, and some honey. It was then that he noticed a girl of around 13 or 14 staring inquisitively at him.

"Can I help you, petite?" She blushed at the recognition, causing him to grin.

"W-why are you wearing your sunglasses inside?" Her voice shook nervously as she spoke. Gambit had actually forgotten he was wearing his glasses and chuckled.

"Well, Gambit don' have too good o' sight, y'see? An' he has to wear 'dese to see bettah durin' 'de day."

"Then why don't you take them off now?" She cocked her head to the side.

"Fo' you, petite, I will take 'dem off." He smiled down at the young girl and removed his glasses. The moment she saw his eyes, the girl gasped. There was a slight twinge in Gambit's chest at her reaction. It was always this way. A gasp then a scream. He just had to wait for the scream.

"Woooaaah!" she struggled to sit up to get a closer look. "You're eyes are so cool!" This was a new reaction. "Are they like that because of your powers?" Gambit laughed.

"Unfortunately, petite, I was born 'dis way." The girl wasn't bothered at all by his eyes. It seemed that no one here was, granted they were all mutants like him.  
It was a nice change of pace. The girl immediately leaned to her friends, blushing and giggling.

The room's volume didn't change when Rogue stepped in to grab a plate from the cabinet and fill it with food. This was routine for her. Being in close quarters with others while she tried to eat was never easy, especially in a crowded room with a mixture of pre-teens and teenagers, young adults, and adults. Things had a tendency to get pretty ugly when the pre-teens and teenagers decided to have eating contests. Rogue made eye contact with Ororo and they both nodded. Gambit watched as the girl made her way out of the crowded dining room.

"Stormy, where does 'de young belle go?" His curiosity had him asking.

"She has problems eating in here with the others, so she eats out on the east deck," Ororo answered. Gambit contemplated this for a moment.

"Would you...mind if I joined her?" The noise was actually really starting to get to him. Ororo knew him all too well and already knew that. She gave a curt nod and dismissed him. He stood and scooped up his plate and began his trek out to the eastern deck.

After getting lost once, he managed to find his way out. Surely enough, there she was, sitting alone in a long lawn chair beneath a lamp. The light reflected on her auburn hair beautifully. Lucky for him there was already a lawn chair set up beside her on the right. Her plate was out at the very end of her chair as she reclined happily in silence.

"Evenin', Chere," he said as he approached. His voice startled her. She looked up at him irregardless of whether he frightened her or not. "Mind if 'dis ol' Cajun joins you fo' supper?" Rogue just gave a shrug and turned her gaze to stare back out over the darkening ocean. He moved to sit in the chair next to her, falling into it a little harder than he expected, causing an accidental 'oof' to slip from his lips. His noise made the young woman laugh softly, which caused him to grin. "So why you eat out here all alone, hm?" Rogue's expression and eyes dropped for a moment. Her eyes met up with his with a small forced smile.

"I don' like the noise in there," was her response. He didn't believe it for a moment and she knew it. With a sigh and a weak laugh she shook her head. "I don' do well in crowded spaces when Ah try t' eat." She lowered her gaze again, this time it landing upon her gloved hands as she wrung them together.

"Well 'den, I tell you what. You keep 'dem pretty gloved hands under 'de table and Gambit'll feed you. What you say 'bout 'dat?" He grinned and leaned toward her, his left elbow on his knee. Rogue laughed.

"That sounds temptin' an' all, but Ah think we'd get some pretty strange looks." Gambit shrugged at her comment.

"You t'ink Gambit cares what others t'ink about him?" He let out a hearty laugh which caused her to snicker. "'Course not! Gambit his own man! He don' need anyone else's opinions of him!" Her laughter slowly became more. He enjoyed seeing the young girl laugh. "See? 'Dis ol' Cajun still got some spunk to 'im."

"You keep callin' yourself an ol' Cajun. How old are you, really?" Her eyes shown with curiosity as she spoke. Seems like everyone here was curious about him.

"Well, Chere, a Cajun don' tell his age." He began to play the hard to get role. Rogue was not buying it one bit. "Buuut...I guess I can make an exception for you." He winked at her, causing a light pink to flush her cheeks. "'Dis Cajun is 29-years-old. Now how 'bout you? You got Gambit's age, what's yours?" Rogue studied his face and his eyes, which she found herself being pulled into.

"Ah'm 21." She knew her age, but whether or not she cared was the question. It was just something that told you you're getting older, why would she make a big fuss about it all. While studying the Cajun's face, she stopped at a scar above his left eye just under the brow. "Could Ah ask you somethin'?" Her eyes stayed on the scar.

"Sure t'ing, chere. Fire away." He waited in silence for a few seconds.

"Where'd you get that scar?" His eyes locked on hers as she stared at the mark under his brow.

"Which one? You gotta point it out for 'dis Cajun." He leaned forward, closing the space between them to the point where he could feel her breath on his flesh.

"This one..." she trailed a gloved finger across the almost inch long scar. "Where'd you get it?" She examined the little pits of scar around it aswell.

"Ooh, 'dat one. Well..." He had to think for a moment. "'Dat's right, 'dat one is from a baseball bat." Rogue backed up a little bit an made eye contact. He noticed that her eyes were flooded with concern and curiousity, both of which covered her own pain and mental scars.

"A baseball bat?" Her voice showed the concern as well.

"What can I say? 'De guy was a jerk." He shrugged and grinned, but didn't move away from her. "I got plenty o' other scars if you wan' take a look some time. 'Do I am surprised you didn' happen t' see my hands. 'Dey're covered." Immediately her eyes fell to his hands and as a response the man gave them up. She looked over them the best she could in the lamp light. He had tiny scars all over the tops of his hands and a few on his palms. "You got any scars, chere?" He waited for a reaction.

"Not like yours...but these..." She moved a hand to brush the white in her hair.

"Bad memories, no? Most scars carry 'dem. 'Do I do have one on my back from a drunk man back home. 'De poor guy t'ought I was hittin' on his woman when I indeed had mah back turned to him an' 'de lady." Rogue wasn't sure what to feel with that story. "Granted, 'dat had to a' been at least 12 years ago." He watched her intently as she stared down at his hands, running a few fingers over the top of his right hand. "Wha' kinda story you got?"

"Ah was used in an attempt to turn the city, or maybe even the world, Ah don' know anymore, into mutants...It went kinda awry and-" she looked up at him, making eye contact again, the white in her hair glimmering in the dim glow of the lamp "-this is the mark Ah carry for it." Silence fell over the two yet again. "Mah stories pale in comparison t'yours, Ah know." Her eyes stayed on his. She couldn't help but notice that they just kind of went on and on, but were certainly not empty voids.  
They held the pain of his past and a slight hint of compassion. Gambit felt her emotions change and pointed it out.

"You're upset." He kept her eyes.

"No Ah'm not..." She tried to avoid his eyes, but he caught one of the white streaks in her hair and tugged gently.

"Don' be lyin' t'me."

"Ah'm not, Ah don't know what you're talkin' about." She tried to fake a smile.

"Can' fool a fool. Gambit can read you all too well. I know what you're feeling, Chere. Now why don' you tell me 'de truth? You're hidin'. I can see it in your eyes. What're you hidin'?" Gambit regained her eyes. Rogue strained to keep from looking away. Her lips and chin quivered slightly.

"Mah gloves...Ah need them for protection...by that, Ah mean..." She paused and pain flashed in her eyes. "When Ah touch some one, flesh t'flesh, somethin' happens...  
They get hurt..." Her eyes stayed on his, slowly beginning to show strength. "If Ah touch 'em, Ah take a part of 'em. Their memories, their life force, they're powers if they got any. That piece of 'em stays with me, showin' up randomly an' all..." She laughed lightly. "So if you can read mah eyes, what're they sayin'?"  
Gambit paused and gazed deeply into those emerald pools.

"'Dat you been hurt too many times. 'Dat you long to be loved like everyone else is. 'Dat you yearn to touch." As he spoke, he slowly leaned closer and closer to her,  
and her body refusing to move away from him. "You ain' afraid. You got hope in 'dere, Chere..." Before their lips could touch, he placed a few finger tips upon her cheek. The pull was small and slow at first causing his face to pull away from hers. Shock kept his hand from moving from her cheek. Memories of a life not her own flooded into her head and Gambit watched as her green irises and white scleras began to turn to the red and black of his own. She shoved him back, knocking him off his chair and onto his back, knocking not only the wind from his chest, but his plate from the lawn chair causing cold potatoes and gravy to go flying and the plate to clatter and break into pieces on the ground nearby. Rogue clutched her head and placed a hand on the lawn chair to steady herself as she stood. The chair slowly began to emanate a magenta glow which grew the longer she held on. Memories of women he'd slept with, heists he'd pulled, his childhood as a thief, and one woman inparticular. A blonde haired woman named Belladonna. He'd married her, but was driven away when he slayed her brother. Suddenly she saw images of how he got the scars he'd spoken of; the man with the bat, the drunk man with the knife, and many others. She'd also learned his real name. Remy Etienne Lebeau.  
When she made it through the fog of his memories, she flew to the man she'd just gotten a taste of, kneeling beside him and trying to get him to snap out of it.  
The chair behind her began to hiss. She looked back just in time to see it crackle and explode, the shield of the other chair taking the blow for the two. Her eyes flew back down, still retaining the likeness of his.

"Gambit! GAMBIT! Remy!" It slipped out, but he looked up at her wide eyed when she said it.

"Damn, girl. You a firecracker." A small smirk unfolded upon his lips, his eyes still wide. "Naw, wait..." his voice was a little weak. "Why you got Gambit's eyes?"  
Rogue stared down at him with a confused expression.

"How are you still conscious?" His smirk grew.

"Gambit got plenty o' energy, Chere."

* * *

**Author's note:**

It would seem that I've harnessed the swamp yat that comes out of my fiance's mouth (He's Cajun...seriously, I'm not lying.). All the scars listed in this chapter are actual scars on my Cajun's body. Not to mention that the "walking around the mansion in the nude" thing is definitely something he would do.  
He is the inspiration for this fic and I couldn't ask for more out of a man. He really is the Gambit (their back stories are so similar it's scary) to my Rogue.  
(We're cosplayers of Gambit and Rogue as well ;D)

The part where it says "Can't fool a fool," if you look up the real meaning in a tarot deck, the description matches Gambit fairly well.

I know the title didn't really come into play until the very end, but better late than never, right? The song is "Her Eyes" by Pat Monahan, the lead singer of Train. I should be updating a little more frequently. I'll be writing a lot more though, I can at least guarantee that. The rest of the chapters are in the works as you're reading this little message I have left for you :3

I know it's been a year and three months since I posted the first chapter, but I most certainly am NOT dead! :D at least...not yet..._ oh well.  
Stay tuned!


End file.
